Aston Martin to bring back Lagonda

Aston Martin is set to revive the Lagonda. A concept version of the new Aston is currently being developed at Aston HQ and is on schedule to be revealed at the Geneva motorshow next year in time to celebrate its 100th birthday in style.

Dr Ulrich Bez, boss of Aston Martin, said he plans to relaunch Lagonda as a sub-brand from 2012 in order "to develop cars which can have a different character to a sports car". It's a move that's meant to extend Aston Martin appeal beyond sports cars. According to inside sources the new Aston Lagonda will be unique, luxurious, dynamic and truly versatile and is set to rival the likes of Bentley and Rolls Royce.

Aston Martin currently sells cars in 32 countries, but CEO Bez believes the brand should launch new models that can appeal to more than 100 existing and emerging markets.

It's likely that Lagonda will offer a range of high performance, luxury saloons. A spokesperson admitted that the new models would be "more practical" than anything in the current Aston line-up, but he added that an SUV would be out of the question. Designs have yet to be finalised.

Honda Jazz pricing announced (UK)

Honda has announced UK prices for its new Jazz hatchback. Starting at £9,990 for the entry-level 1.2 litre S, the Jazz will be pitched against rival superminis like the new Ford Fiesta, Seat Ibiza and Renault Clio.

The 1.2 SE model will cost £10,990 and will feature air-conditioning and 15-inch alloy wheels. Honda is predicting that the majority of Jazz sales will be the entry-level 1.4 litre ES model that starts at £11,490.

The 1.4 ES is £180 more than the base 1.4-litre it replaces and comes generously equipped with a cooled glovebox, the double-trunk boot and Honda’s Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA). The top-spec, 1.4 EX gets 16-inch alloys, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, cruise control, climate control, leather steering wheel with audio-mounted controls, front fog-lights and a panoramic sunroof with a price tag of £12,790.

Both 1.4 variants can be specified with Honda’s I-Shift automatic manual transmission, but it’ll add £800 to the price.

60% of buyers of the current model went on to replace their Jazz with another one. The manual variant of the Jazz will hit UK showrooms on Friday 17th October 2008, while the i-Shift automatic variants arrive in January 2009.

Related link:

Honda Jazz specifications revealed (EU)